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Question about Lead and Brass

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  • Dingo

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    I have accumulated about 80 pounds of lead ingots and about 80 pounds of brass slabs. My question is whether anyone has, or considered using brass for casting bullets?
    i am trying to decide what to do with all od the brass I accum during a year. I usually give away about 200 pounds, but was thinking it might be used as bullets, what do the experts say?
    Thanks
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    Axxe55

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    I have no idea if it's still a thing or not, but some benchrest shooters would take brass rods on a lathe and turn their own bullets.

    If you were going to make cast brass bullets, you would need a forge, or foundry to be able to melt and then pour the molten brass into some sort of casting of some sort.

    Lead is actually fairly simpler to melt and cast.

    Just guessing, it's possible, but you would have to determine if the amount of work was worth the effort to go that route to make bullets from cast brass.

    There are some videos on YouTube about making a foundry for home, and some on casting brass you might search out and watch.
     

    Moonpie

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    Gunz are icky.
    Casting solid brass bullets will take some serious equipment.
    It would be easier to machine them on a lathe.
    In the past there have been a couple of companies that sold a bullet forming set up that uses various brass casing and lead core wire to for bullets.
    IIRC, 9mm brass was used to make .40cal bullets. 22lr brass made .224 bullets. Etc.
    Corbin was the name I think.
     

    Dingo

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    I have melted and poured my own lead bullets when I shot more black powder. So I am familiar with lead, but have not researched the melting point of brass.
    just curious if anyone else had look into it.
    in a SHTF scenario, lead may be had to come by? Just trying to think outside the box
     

    Axxe55

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    The melting point on the brass is probably going to depend on the alloy of the brass. IIRC, most brass melts in excess of 1500 to 1600 degrees. So if you are wanting to cast brass, you would need a pretty hot foundry.
     

    Kayt00

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    There is also the possibility of swaging a brass bullet using a press and dies, or using the brass as a jacket then filling with lead. I have done neither the first of which is just an idea, the other I've seen videos of it being done.
     

    rp-

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    Sell the brass and buy more lead. Or solid copper bullets if desired.
    I agree. Brass scrap prices are up. Take it to the recycling center and get some cash. Then buy lead to cast. Life.will be much simpler.

    As for brass you accumulate during a year, sell it to reloaders if you aren't reloading it yourself.

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    Dingo

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    i typically give my brass and copper to a customer, who in turn is now giving me lead. But I do think it would be better to have the lead.
     

    Hoji

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    Belt Mountain had their “Punch” bullets that were solid brass. I believe the were milled and not cast. I still have a box of their 45-70 and .357 mag from Grizzly Ammunition. It is very gnarly stuff.
     

    Axxe55

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    Belt Mountain had their “Punch” bullets that were solid brass. I believe the were milled and not cast. I still have a box of their 45-70 and .357 mag from Grizzly Ammunition. It is very gnarly stuff.

    I'm thinking there are a couple of bullet manufacturers that do, or have made solid brass bullets at one time or another.

    I Googled "brass bullets" just to see what popped up.




     

    Maverick44

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    I have accumulated about 80 pounds of lead ingots and about 80 pounds of brass slabs. My question is whether anyone has, or considered using brass for casting bullets?
    i am trying to decide what to do with all od the brass I accum during a year. I usually give away about 200 pounds, but was thinking it might be used as bullets, what do the experts say?
    Thanks
    Sell the brass for scrap value and use it to buy more lead.

    You're not going to be able to make brass bullets that are going to be economical or really even worth the trouble unless you are trying to make bullets that you otherwise couldn't get.

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    Dingo

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    I'm thinking there are a couple of bullet manufacturers that do, or have made solid brass bullets at one time or another.

    I Googled "brass bullets" just to see what popped up.





    that was an informative site. They also had some good instructions on barrel cleaning.
     

    cycleguy2300

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    I have accumulated about 80 pounds of lead ingots and about 80 pounds of brass slabs. My question is whether anyone has, or considered using brass for casting bullets?
    i am trying to decide what to do with all od the brass I accum during a year. I usually give away about 200 pounds, but was thinking it might be used as bullets, what do the experts say?
    Thanks
    I'd save a year or two of your brass and melt it, add some small things and cast yourself a bad-ass cannon.

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    Ozzman

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    Brass alone isn't a good casting material.
    The density of brass is 23% less than that of lead and the BHN is 60.

    This means, that if you somehow could cast from a 150-grain bullet mold, the weight of the final product would be around 115 grains. Secondly, with such a high BHN the brass bullet would wear down your grooves and lands faster than a lead core bullet.

    IMO, it is a lot to contend with first of all to get this project off the ground. Thus IMO stick to lead cast bullets or copper jacketed FMJ and save time, money and efforts.
     

    hornetguy

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    Aren't Barnes X bullets solid brass alloy of some type? Machining bullets from brass isn't a new thing, but as others have mentioned, melting and casting brass would be beyond the scope of even the most dedicated caster, I would think. 1650 to 1750 F melting temperature.
     

    Dingo

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    I think everyone may have mis the original intent, or I didn’t state it effectively, the only reason for the question and keeping it was, should a worse case scenario develop for an extended period, we may be forced to make do. But I think enough info has pointed out that it would not be practical as an individual.

    But i do like the cannon idea!
     
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